


Please Don't Leave Me Behind

by AmableAngel



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Office, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Burns, F/M, Fire, Gen, I Will Go Down With This Ship, alrighty lets hop onto the feels train, belarus is actually nice for once, i will literally kill for pruhun to be canon, im so so sorry, this spiraled out of control oh god
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-09
Updated: 2017-05-09
Packaged: 2018-10-29 18:48:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10859919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmableAngel/pseuds/AmableAngel
Summary: Worry twisted in her gut and Elizabeta quickly turned around the corner, only to be met with a wall of smoke.





	Please Don't Leave Me Behind

**Author's Note:**

> I really really really love pruhun ok
> 
> (with a lot of angst) :)))
> 
> *insert usual disclaimer stuff*

Worry twisted in her gut and Elizabeta quickly turned around the corner, only to be met with a wall of smoke. The filthy air caused her to hack and cough until her eyes turned red. Her legs felt as if they were turning into spaghetti and she collapsed to the floor.  _ This is it, huh?  _ she thought when suddenly, she heard a voice through the haze. Though obscured by the fog, Elizabeta recognized the voice. Her cocky coworker and best friend, Gilbert was calling out to her. “Lizzie!” A wave of relief filled her from top to bottom. As much as she hated that nickname, she never knew there would be a point in her life where she’d be so grateful to hear it.

In an attempt to reach out to him, she shakily lifted herself up, using the wall. Elizabeta felt her hands brush against vaguely humanlike. “Gilbert?’ she asked hoarsely, the ash filling her throat and making it impossible to speak.

“It’s me. Don’t worry, I got you. I got you.” 

Those were the last words she heard before everything went black.

 

~

 

The sheer, bright white of the hospital walls blinded Elizabeta and made her wince. She groaned and turned to her side. A fogginess filled her mind, and then, all of a sudden, memories rushed through her head. The fire, smoke, running, collapsing,  _ Gil…  _ Elizabeta felt as if she was suffocating, smoke filling her lungs and making her choke. She sat up, gasping for air, ignoring the throbbing pain in her chest and back.  

She cried out, “Gil!” Footsteps rushed toward the room and the door swung open. “Eliza!” Her cubicle partner, Katyusha, ran to her bedside and took her hand. “How do you feel?” Roderich asked as he walked in after Kat. 

Elizabeta ignored the question and grabbed Roderich’s arm. “Where’s Gil?!”

Katyusha shot a worried look at Roderich, but he gave the slightest, most imperceptible shake of his head. 

“Where is he?” she repeated. 

“He’s at home, Eliza,” he responded, a little too quickly. “Why don’t you rest for a bit? Your lungs almost collapsed with how much smoke you inhaled. You really are lucky…” Roderich rambled on for quite a bit, all the while gently pushing his co-worker into the hospital bed. 

“Roderich. Tell me where he is.” Eliza's tone was harsh and threatening. Roderich had a frantic look in his eyes and his palms were sweating. Katyusha was also panicking slightly, frightened by Elizabeta’s steely tone. She seemed as if she was about to break Roderich’s arm in half if he didn't disclose the location of Gilbert to Elizabeta. 

At that moment, the door swung open. Antonio, a friend of Gilbert’s, tore through the room and grabbed Katyusha and Roderich by the hand and pulled them out the door without another word.

Elizabeta felt like screaming.  _ Why won’t anyone tell me where he is?!  _ Not knowing whether he was okay or not after the fire was driving her insane. It was clawing at the sides of her brain, tearing everything else in there down. 

 

~

 

“Why the  _ hell  _ did you go in there?!” Antonio bellowed angrily as he pulled Roderich and Katyusha to the side of the hallway. “You knew the first thing she was going to ask was where Gil was, and yet you  _ still  _ went in there? Did you really want to tell Eliza, in that state--” Antonio gestured to Eliza’s door-- “that her best friend is nearly dead?! That he almost sacrificed his own life to save hers? That his last words before slipping under were, ‘Tell Lizzie I love her,’?! That he wanted to give her this--” he pulled out Gil’s Iron Cross from his pocket-- “his most prized possession, as a gift for her on her birthday?! To show just  _ how much  _ she meant to him?” Antonio was breathing heavily as he finished his monologue.

“Toni!!” Francis appeared suddenly at Antonio’s side. His face was bright and smiling as he pulled all three of them into a hug. 

“What? What happened?!”

“He’s probably going to make it!!” Francis’ eyes were animated as he pulled Katyusha by the arm towards the burn care unit. Toni stood still with shock with Roderich at his side.

“He’s going to be okay. He’s okay.” Slowly, menacingly, he turned to Roderich, who still was frozen. “You know what this means? Your chances with Eliza are gone. Don’t think I don’t know what you were doing. You were going in there to tell her that Gilbert was gone. You didn't even think he had a chance to survive. While she was grieving, you would be her support pillar, and then over time she’d fall in love with you. Am I right?” Antonio pointed an accusing finger at the purple eyed man, who had backed into the wall at this point. 

“N-no! I’d never do that to Eliza! I’m serious!”

Antonio suddenly backed away. “Well, it doesn’t matter what you were going to do. He’s going to be fine.” The man’s normally cheerful smile returned to his face. “Come on. Let’s go see Gil.” 

 

~

 

Elizabeta frowned at the door as it opened. No one had yet told her where Gilbert was since she woke up a few hours ago and she could feel her temper breaking and boiling under her skin. Feliciano walked in with a bright smile on his face. “Eliza! How do you feel?” 

“Fine. Now how much longer do I have to stay here?” she asked flatly. 

“Maybe a day or two,” Ludwig answered as he walked in and placed a hand on Feliciano’s shoulder. “Feli, I need to talk to you outside.” He steered the brown-haired Italian towards the door, who was shouting words of protest, saying that he needed to talk to Elizabeta. Ludwig ignored his boyfriend’s yelling and pushed him out the door without much effort. Eliza smiled in spite of herself. She’d known the ditzy Italian since they were kids and Elizabeta had felt a little bit protective of him, especially after Ludwig lost his memory for a while. Feliciano was in tatters, despite being at the age of six. 

She sighed and laid back in her bed. Closing her eyes, she let the sweet release of sleep wash over her body. 

 

~

 

Ludwig placed both of his hands on Feliciano’s shoulders and looked him straight in the eye. “Feli, you absolutely  _ cannot  _ tell Eliza about Gilbert. She’s already very sick, and she’s going to be freaking out if she finds out he’s in critical condition. It’d put too much strain on her.”

“Well, can I tell her that he’s fine? She’s really worried, you know.”

Ludwig paused. “No. That would be lying. An absolute lie.”

 

~

 

Francis sat in a chair, hunched over, with his elbows on his knees and his hands over his face. His joy about Gilbert getting better was short-lived. The doctors said that his right forearm was to be amputated and that he might not wake up for at least two weeks. There was a high chance he might not pull through. Just the thought made Francis’ heart sink. Antonio sat next to him in a similar position. 

“What if we become the Bad Touch Duo?” Antonio turned to face him as he asked the question. 

“Huh?”

“What if he dies? I sure as hell don’t want that to happen, but the doctors said he probably won’t make it. We just can’t keep ignoring the fact that Gilbert might die.”

“Don’t say things like that! You and I both know he’s going to make it.” Antonio’s voice shook. “He’s Gil. He has to live.” Even with those strong words, Francis could detect the fear in Toni’s voice. 

“Guys.” The two of them looked up to see Roderich in front of them. “I told Eliza.”

“What?! Why?” Antonio was on his feet in a split second. 

“She would’ve found out anyway. You know that. She would do anything to find out where Gil is. You were just trying to delay the inevitable.” 

A couple seconds passed before Antonio nodded slowly and set himself back on his chair. “That's right. Eliza would definitely do that.”

 

~

 

**A few minutes earlier…**

Roderich sighed and entered the room. He glanced at the sleeping brown-haired woman as he closed the door quietly. Sitting down on a chair next to the bed, he gently tapped Eliza’s shoulder to wake her up. 

She groaned and turned to the side to face Roderich. Her eyes cracked open and then shut as soon as she saw Roderich’s face. “Why are you here?”

“I need to tell you something. About why Gil hasn’t come to visit you.”

Elizabeta’s head snapped up and her eyes were wide open. “Finally! One of you guys tell me something. Y’know, Toni and Francis and Ludwig wouldn’t tell me anything. Even Feli wouldn’t open his mouth.”

“Well, just listen. They-- meaning Ludwig, Vash, and Berwald-- didn’t want us to say anything to you, since you’re already sick and telling you where Gil was would just make it worse. But I’ve noticed that not knowing is making it worse.”

Her eyebrows scrunched together. “What is it?” 

He took a deep breath. “Gil is currently in ICU. That’s why he hasn’t visited you yet. He suffered major third-degree burns and inhaled too much smoke, just like you. But unlike you, he inhaled nearly twice as much smoke, since he went back in there to save you. That’s why he’s in ICU. The burns were so bad that he will have to get his right forearm amputated.” Eliza inhaled sharply.  “The past few days, he’d been unresponsive, but today, his heart started working properly again. It’s going to take a while, but he’ll be fine. Just, y’know, without his right hand.”

Eliza held up a finger. “So, basically, I’m the cause of his right hand being amputated and his lungs being filled up with so much smoke that it took a week for his heart to start working again?” 

“No, no of course not!!” Roderich exclaimed. 

She put her face in her hands. “Oh, God. If only I hadn’t gone onto the roof to get away from him. If I just hadn’t gone up on that goddamn roof, everything would be fine!!”

_ Shit, I didn’t expect this reaction. She’s usually not this emotional.  _ He gently laid a hand on Elizabeta’s forearm in an attempt to console her. She jerked away, burying her face into her hands and her hair falling over her face. 

“Leave. Just leave. I need some time alone. Please.”

Roderich stood up, the chair making a screeching sound as it backed up. He left without another word. 

 

~

 

Time passed. Gilbert’s forearm had been amputated. He still had not woken up and had not for at least three weeks. Elizabeta had been discharged from the hospital after a week’s stay. She visited Gilbert in ICU everyday. The Kirkland Law Firm was temporarily shut down as they were rebuilding the office building after the fire that occurred three weeks ago. Everyone had made it out alive, save for a few minor injuries and two major injuries. The founder and owner, Arthur Kirkland was looking into the causes of the fire. For everyone else, life continued on as it always had. For Elizabeta, life had come to a standstill. 

 

~

 

“I think you guys should tell me exactly what happened.” Elizabeta gazed at her friends and coworkers, sitting at the table around her. Roderich, Vash, Berwald, Toni, Francis, Katyusha, Natalya, Feliks, Toris, Eduard, Lovino. Only one person was missing. 

“And I also think that you should’ve told me about Gil’s condition. For example, Berwald. I heard you were one of the people who decided it would be good for my health not to tell me. But what if Tino was in an accident? You’d want to know what happened to him. You’d be frantic.” The stoic Swede remained silent, though his features shifted into something like apology. 

No one spoke for a few seconds, until Feliks broke the silence. “We’re all very sorry. We didn’t think that not telling… C’mon guys, are you going to make me do this by myself?” Toris! Help me out here, man!”

“W-we definitely should’ve told you. A-and w-we’re very sorry,” Toris stammered, having been put on the spot. 

“Okay, good. Now what happened that day? I still don’t have a clear understanding.”

Antonio looked up from his coffee and took a deep breath. “I don’t know exactly what happened to Gil, since we weren’t with him.”

“Some shit friends we are,” Francis said woefully. 

“Don’t blame yourself. You weren’t there,” Antonio said softly. “Anyways, here’s what happened…”

 

~

 

_ “I swear to God, Gilbert, I wish you’d just die!” Elizabeta snarled and grabbed her phone and earbuds, storming up to the roof. Antonio raised an eyebrow and glanced at Gilbert.  _

_ “Dude. Why do you do that? You really like Eliza, right? Why do you keep tormenting her? And with childish pranks too? Who even puts gum in drawers as a prank? Seriously.” _

_ Gilbert shrugged. “Not sure. Anyways, she’ll calm down soon enough.”  _

_ “Whatever you say, man.”  _

_ A couple minutes passed, filled with the clacking of keyboard keys, with the occasional yell of frustration. An odd burning smell filled the room.  _

_ Antonio scrunched up his nose and turned to Gilbert. “You smell that?”  _

_ He sniffed the air and replied, “Yeah. I think someone burned the coffee again, somehow. Newbies, man.”  _

_ “Yeah.” The smell intensified after a few minutes. The loud of thudding sound of someone running down the stairs came from the stairwell. All heads turned towards the odd sound. Everyone used the elevators. No one used the stairs. _

_ “Francis?” Gil looked at his friend in bewilderment. “What’s wrong?” The blonde haired man’s face was plastered with sweat and he was breathing heavily. A grayish cloud filled the stairwell behind him. _

_ “Everyone, get out! There’s a fire!”  _

_ Sounds of panic occupied the room and everyone began clamoring.  _

_ “What?”  _

_ “A fire?” _

_ “What’s going on?” _

_ A loud alarm pierced the air, causing everyone to scream and yell. Francis yelled over the din, “Toni! Get everyone downstairs! Gil! Come and help me get everyone down! I already called 911.” Gilbert nodded and rushed back up into the smoke with Francis.   _

_ “Everyone! Listen!” Antonio’s strong voice carried over the yelling and panicking and everyone looked at him. “Use the stairs and get down without pushing. Just… stay calm.” Everyone nodded in understanding and filed towards the stairwell.  _

_ In the corner, Natalya pulled out her cell phone. She pressed a button and held it against her ear. “Damnit. Voice mail. Um, h-hey, big brother. I’m at work and there’s a fire. I’ll call you if-- when I get out. I love you. And so does Katyusha.” Antonio’s heart sank. He’d always found last goodbyes tragic. Desperate. Thinking you’d never see the person you love again. He frowned.  _ Why are you thinking like this? The fire isn’t even that bad!  _ He shook his head.  _

_ “Natalya! Get down! You’ll be fine!” he called. Natalya turned her head towards him and pushed her sister towards the stairwell. Kat rushed down the stairs without looking back for her sister.  _

_ “All the time I’ve worked here, I’ve always scorned everyone here, even though everyone was so kind. Now I want to help them. Let’s go upstairs; there’s no one left on this floor.”  _

_ Antonio looked around him. She was right; no one was left. The smoke was getting thicker by the minute and Francis and Gilbert still hadn’t come back down, nor had they seen anyone else come down. Panic began to rise in Toni’s throat.  _ Why weren’t the firefighters here yet?  _ “Let’s go.” _

_ Upstairs, the smoke was even thicker. Antonio’s lungs felt like they were going to burst, yet he had been here for barely a minute.  _

_ “Francis! Gil! Toris! Anyone?!” Natalya called out.  _

_ “Nat!” a hoarse voice whispered less than five feet away. She knelt down and gasped. “Toris! Feliks!”  _

_ “It’s Toris! Someone accidentally made him trip and I think his ankle is broken. I’m fine, just please get him down. I’m not strong enough,” Feliks whispered desperately. _

_ She nodded determinedly and hoisted Toris’ arms over her shoulder. Natalya turned to Antonio. “I’m taking him down. Feliks, you help Toni.” _

_ The blonde nodded grimly. “Toni, no one else is on this floor, except Gilbert. Francis had to help Mr. Wang down the stairs. Arthritis or something.” _

_ “Well, let’s get him and get the hell to the ground.”  _

_ “I think he went that way.” Feliks pointed and Toni rushed off in the direction. He collided with a person who could be none other than Gilbert.  _

_ “C’mon!” Antonio pulled at Gil’s hand. He gave no response other than collapsing to the ground and hunching over while coughing up teeny bits of blood.  _

Shit.  _ “Help me!” Toni pulled one of Gilbert’s arms over his shoulder and Feliks took the other. Together, the trio of them descended down the stairs, the smoke growing thinner with each passing floor.  _

_ Suddenly, Gilbert’s head snapped up. “Lizzie!!” _

_ Antonio’s heart stopped. Goddamnit, how could he forget about Elizabeta? She was probably still on the roof, listening to her music. If he remembered correctly, she liked to put the volume very loud.  _

_ Gilbert wrenched free of his friends’ grasp and tore up the stairs.  _

_ Antonio had no time to comprehend his actions before his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and looked at the caller ID. Lovino. He accepted the call and placed it on his ear.  _

_ “ANTONIO! THANK GOD! I-I meant, um, it's good that you're fine.” _

_ Toni chuckled nervously. “How did you know I was in some sort of trouble?” _

_ “Well, Emma called me when she didn't see you outside with everyone else.” _

_ “Oh, so you know about the fire. Um, Lovi, I gotta go. I'm still in the building, so…” _

_ “WHAT?! Get out of there, bastard!” The call disconnected. _

_ “Thank God. You lovebirds were taking too long,” Feliks grumbled. “Are we going after Gilbert?” _

_ “Wait. Lemme call someone.” A few seconds passed. “Hey, Francis. Is Eliza down there? Oh, shit. Okay, bye.” _

_ “Now what?” Feliks rasped. His lungs as well as Antonio’s lungs were getting weak. There wasn't much time to think. The smoke was getting much thicker, even though they were on the second floor. Antonio grabbed Feliks’s arm and ran down the stairs. _

 

“In summary, Gil went up to get you himself. I’m not sure what happened after that…”

 

_ Antonio cursed himself over and over again for letting his best friend into the raging fire by himself. He paced anxiously, waiting for the ambulances and fire trucks to show up. Francis sat on the curb, his head in his hands. Burns covered them.  _

_ Everyone was calling their loved ones to tell them they were fine. Emma was calling her brothers, Feliks was talking to Toris and crying, Natalya was hugging her sister and Katyusha was weeping.  _

_ Lovino rested a hand on his shoulder. Such a small gesture, yet so comforting. Antonio smiled in spite of himself until his eyes caught a flash of platinum blonde coming through the doors. A bigger smile spread over the Spaniard's face. He squinted. Gil was carrying a figure in his arms. _ Eliza. _ As Toni walked over to Gil, major injuries became apparent to him. His right forearm was black and his face was marred by numerous burns. Looking at Eliza, her injuries were almost as bad. Antonio was only about twenty feet away from Gilbert when he saw him collapse onto his knees. Elizabeta tumbled from his arms onto the black concrete like a ragdoll. Gilbert began coughing up blood and hunched over, red splattering the ground. Fear mounted in Antonio’s chest.  _

_ “Francis! Ludwig! Get over here! Now!” They hurried over and tossed each of his arms over their shoulders. The two of them dragged Gilbert to the approaching ambulance, while Antonio tended to Elizabeta. She was light enough that he was able to carry her in his arms. An emergency responder directed Antonio to a gurney and he gently set Elizabeta upon it. He then rushed over to the gurney where Gil was lying. He was in bad shape, clearly, but still conscious. Gil beckoned for Antonio to lean closer so he could whisper something in his ear.  _

_ “Tell Lizzie I love her,” he said hoarsely. He pulled off his Iron Cross with his free hand and dropped it onto Antonio’s hands. “Get this to her. An early birthday present.” _

_ Everything else after that had been a whirlwind of questions, white hospitals, and worry.  _

 

_ ~ _

 

The room was pin drop silent. No one dared to say anything until a rather catchy Spanish song from someone’s phone broke the silence. Antonio mumbled an apology and pulled out his phone. He picked up the call and held it against his ear. “Hey, Ludwig.” Undecipherable screaming came in German came from the phone’s tinny speaker and Toni jerked it away from his ear, holding it an arm’s length away. After the screaming ceased after a couple seconds, Ludwig’s normal voice came through and Antonio placed the phone on his ear. “Hey, Ludwig. Didn’t know you could scream like that. It wasn’t you? Then who-- Gil?! He’s awake?! Okay, I’m coming with everyone right now.”

Antonio slammed his phone down and stood up. 

“My friends, Gilbert lives on!”

 

~

 

Gilbert’s eyes were slowly adjusting to the bright lights. He groaned and tried to bring a hand up to block out the shine when he realized, he couldn’t. It felt like his arm was there, but it wasn’t. His nose caught a whiff of something burnt. All of a sudden, all the memories were dumped on his head like a bucket of cold water. Screaming, temporary relief, smoke, and…  _ Lizzie _ . Was she okay?!

He heard a shuffle of someone standing up and walking towards him. “Gilbert! How do you feel?” Gilbert looked up to see his younger brother standing over him. 

“Gah, not so loud. And I’m fine. I think. I mean, everything hurts like hell. And my arm feels weird. Like it’s not there anymore. Other than that, just peachy!” His voice dripped with sarcasm. “Oh, and, is Lizzie okay? Where am I?”

A pause. “You don’t remember what happened?”

“Not really.”

“Oh, God. Wait! I was supposed to get the doctor when you woke up! Shit. I’ll be right back. Don’t move.”

“Yeah, yeah. Like I actually could,” he muttered, as the younger Beilschmidt rushed out of the room.

The door opened up after a couple minutes. “Hello, Gilbert. I’m Dr. Williams. How are you feeling?”

“Just dandy, doc. And my arm hurts a lot. Wait, scratch that. Everything hurts. Say, could you tell me where I am? Because,  _ ahem,  _ my little brother didn’t bother telling me where I am. Or, ahem,  _ where Lizzie is,  _ Ludwig. I know you can hear me!” Gilbert called out in a loud voice towards the door.

The sound of the scritching of a pencil on a clipboard came from next to Gilbert. “He’s not here right now. He went to go call your friends, I think.”

He flinched. Gil had forgotten someone was here. “Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot you were here.”

“It’s fine. I get that a lot. And you’re in a hospital.”

“Why would I be in a hospital? All I remember is rushing upstairs, getting Lizzie, a lot of smoke and… Oh. I'm in a burn care unit, aren't I?”

“Correct. And you have been for the past three weeks.”

“What?!”

“I will need to administer some pain killers. This may hurt.”

Without warning, Dr. Williams dug a needle into Gilbert’s arm. He screeched and yelled obscenities in German. 

“What in heaven’s name was that for?!”

The doctor ignored him and continued speaking. “And I don’t know if anyone by the name ‘Lizzie’ was admitted to the hospital. Now, I don’t mean to worry you, but someone named Elizabeth died very recently. Maybe a day or two ago.”

Gilbert’s heart sank and panic began to grip his heart.  _ People confuse her name all the time.  _ “Are you sure? Anyone named Elizabeta Héderváry?”

“I'll go check, if you'd like. So, to recap, everything hurts, especially your right arm?”

“Pretty much.” 

“Gotcha. I'll be back in a bit.”

Silence filled the room after Dr. Williams left. However, the silence only lasted about ten minutes. 

“Gilbert!” 

 

~

 

Elizabeta sat in a hard plastic chair, her elbow on her knees and her chin cupped in her hands. Gilbert was awake. No matter how hard she tried to focus on that piece of good news, his words still swirled through her head.  _ Tell Lizzie I love her.  _ It could very well be a friendship love. Elizabeta had said she loved Katyusha several times, and she never imagined kissing the woman. Kat was a very good friend of hers. However, she never had heard Gilbert sat ‘I love you’ to his friends. Eliza cocked her head to one side. Maybe it was different for boys? Masculinity and all that jazz. 

“You know you guys can come in, right? We’re not his only friends!” Antonio called out from inside the room. The doorway was suddenly crammed with people trying to get in and Elizabeta had to stand near the back of the group. It was seemingly a mass of blonde.  _ Why  _ is _ everyone in our office blonde? I never thought about that. Huh.  _

 

~

 

His head perked up at the sound of the door opening and his best friends’ voices. He felt like he hadn’t seen them in ages. 

“Toni? Francis? You guys!” 

“Gil? Oh my God! You’re fine! Oh thank God.” Francis bent down to give him a tight hug, being careful to avoid anything important or potentially sharp. Toni did the same, and the two of them sat on either side of the bed. However, Toni pushed something metal into Gil’s palm and when he looked down, he saw his Iron Cross. He had no time to ask Antonio why he was giving this to him right now before Antonio began speaking. 

“You know you guys can come in, right? We’re not his only friends!” Antonio called out towards the door. There was giggling and then Gilbert heard the door swing wide open to reveal Roderich, Vash, Berwald, Katyusha, Natalya, Feliks, Toris, Eduard, Lovino, Mathias and Lukas standing in front of him. With balloons. And pancakes.

“No Lizzie?”

As if by magic, the crowd quieted down and parted to reveal Elizabeta, with a soft smile on her face. Gilbert hadn’t seen her in a couple of weeks, and she was still as breathtakingly beautiful as he remembered. Her brown hair spilled over her shoulders and her smile was just as bright as he last remembered. “Eliza’s here. No te preocupes, mi amigo,” Antonio whispered.

 

~

 

The crowd parted so suddenly that Eliza was taken by surprise. Her heart jumped at seeing Gilbert. Her Gilbert, awake and laughing. Same silver hair, same reddish eyes. The exact same heartwarming grin. She couldn't help but smiling. Eliza waved and a grin cracked over Gilbert's face.

 

~

 

The room fell into a silence while Gilbert and Elizabeta looked at each other, taking in each other’s presence. Francis gestured for everyone to leave, frantically waving his hands. This was probably the most cliche lover’s reunification scene he’d ever seen in real life! The moment had to be preserved! Luckily, Antonio caught his meaning. “Everybody, file out. Give the lovebirds a moment!”

“Toni!” he hissed. 

“Or was I not supposed to say that?” He snickered and left the room with Francis. 

As soon as the door shut, Elizabeta turned to look at Gilbert. Her dazzling emerald irises caught his eyes and his heart jumped. 

“Hey. Been a while, hasn’t it?” Elizabeta grinned and tossed her hair over her shoulder. 

“It has. Um, question. I still don’t know what’s going on. My arm is gone, I think. It feels like it’d there, but I look down and it’s gone. I’m not sure, since I haven’t been able to see that well, obviously.” 

She grimaced. “Yeah. It’s gone. They had to… amputate it.”

“Oh.” Gilbert looked down and raised an eyebrow. “Huh.” 

“Okay, and I will yell at you in a moment after I clarify something. According to Antonio, the last words you said before going into a coma were ‘Tell Lizzie I love her.’” 

Silence. “I said that, didn’t I?”

“You kind of did.”

Gilbert decided to go for it. He’d deal with the consequences later. He took a deep breath. “Well, it has been bottled up in there for a while, and I was planning on asking you on a date, later that day, and I have liked you since we were kids and--”

His words were stopped with the unexpected feeling of Eliza’s lips on his forehead. “Shut up, idiot,” she breathed. Moving down to his lips, she gave it a peck and leaned back, away from Gilbert’s face. 

“W-what?” he spluttered, his face turning into a likeness of one of Antonio’s tomatoes. 

Eliza sighed. “You like me. I like you. Should be simple enough, right?” 

“Well, yes. Why?”

She stared at him. “Well, I figured it out when I was sitting in the hospital. I realized that this was what my life would be like without you. It was bleak and desolate. No one was there to fill the void in my life that was Gil. Well, that and, the fact that my heart kind of flip-flopped every time I saw you.” Eliza leaned down to give him another kiss, this one a bit deeper and more passionate. 

“You do know this is going to be hard, right? Since I don’t have a right hand anymore.” Gilbert grinned and raised his eyebrows in a prompting manner. Eliza’s face cracked into a smile. 

“So I’ll be your right hand man!” She beamed as a memory came flooding back to her.

 

_ Tiny Elizabeta and Gilbert sitting under a tree, basking in the warm afternoon glow. She still believed herself to be a boy at this time. They were playing ambulance and Gilbert had had his hand chewed off by a rabid squirrel.  _

_ “Eli! I don’t have a right hand anymore!” Gilbert fake-cried. He flopped desperately on the ground, fake-groaning in pain.  _

_ “Stay still, idiot. You’re going to cause more bleeding.” She bit her tongue in the kind of concentration only children have with pretend play. “And don’t worry. Since you don’t have a right hand, I’ll be your right hand man!” Elizabeta looked up and smiled.  _

_ Gilbert stopped crying at that comment. He sat up and grinned toothily. “That sounds good!” _

 

“We were so tiny then,” Elizabeta chuckled. 

“Yeah.”

“Okay, and for the love of God, tell me.  _ What the hell is wrong with you?! _ ” Elizabeta’s tone shifted into anger. Gilbert stiffened at the sudden change and held up his left arm in surrender. 

“Um, what did I do?”

“You ran into a motherfucking burning building to save me, and because of that you got your goddamn arm cut off! Why didn’t you just get out? The firefighters would’ve gotten me out, and you would still have an arm!” Tears began budding in her eyes and she angrily wiped them away. “And the past three weeks were the worst thing ever. When I wasn’t here, just looking at your face, memorizing it, in case you died, I was sleeping. I didn’t eat at all. Natalya and Katyusha had to come to my house everyday to make sure I ate. I was lying in a puddle of guilt, just thinking over and over that it would be my fault if you died. And the last thing I said to you was that I wished you’d die!” The sobs came full force and Eliza buried her face in her hands, shaking and crying.

“Hey, hey. Listen.” Gilbert placed a comforting hand on Elizabeta’s back, rubbing it in small circles. “If you ask anyone, they’ll tell you, the firefighters were  _ not  _ going to get there in time. Mostly everyone was out of the building and the smoke was really thick, and I still couldn’t hear any sirens. I’m serious. And about the arm? It’s an arm. I can live with that. I could never forgive myself if I let you die. I’d rather have you than my arm.” 

Eliza gave a watery smile. Her face was splotched with red and her nose was as bright as Rudolph’s.  _ Still the most beautiful person ever.  _ “I love you, you dick.” She buried her head into Gilbert’s chest. 

“Love you too. And remember that promise we made when we were starting kindergarten?”

 

_ Tiny five year old Elizabeta looked up at the imposing brick building. She gave Gilbert a serious look.  _

_ “We’re going to die in here.”  _

_ “No. If you die, then I’ll die with you, okay?” _

_ “We’ll die together?” _

_ “Yup!” He gave a toothy grin and held out his hand. She shook it with a grin. Elizabeta turned back to view the school. She felt a bit better with that promise. _

 

“If you go, I go. Okay?” Gilbert said, stroking Eliza’s hair. She mumbled an okay against his chest and sat up.

As if on cue, the two of them heard Francis’ voice from right outside the door. “Oh, Toni. It’s so beautiful. Lovers reuniting! And confessing their love for each other! And then promising they’ll stay together no matter what!” Theatrical sobs ensued after the monologue. 

“Um, in other words, can we come in? We’re all dying out here,” Antonio said. 

“Little shits,” Gil mumbled. “Yes, you can come in,” he called out in a louder voice. The door opened and everyone came rushing in. 

“So are you guys, like, dating now?” Feliks asked. His valley girl accent had returned and Gilbert groaned internally. He had always found it extremely annoying. 

“Yes, Feliks, we are.” He nodded and left to talk to Natalya. Toris was next in line. 

“I’m so happy you’re fine! I mean, as fine as you can be, you know,” he said. 

“Your ankle is fine, right?” Gilbert asked, looking down. Toris nodded in gratitude. “It’ll heal.”

Next was Arthur. “Get better quickly. We need you at work,” he said gruffly. Gilbert grinned and nodded in response. “Yes, sir!”

The well-wishers came and went until only Ludwig, Antonio, Francis, and Eliza were left. And a whole bunch of gifts and pancakes in Tupperware containers. The Bad Touch Trio was catching up with everything that had happened over time, when Gilbert asked a question. 

“Lud? What happened to Gilbird?”

Ludwig looked up from his book. “I took him to Berwald’s house.”

“You what?! That bozo has a dog! She’d eat poor little Gilbird!”

“Oh, shut it. Hana is the cutest thing ever; she’d never eat Gilbird,” Elizabeta said. 

“Fine, fine. Oh, and am I getting a prosthetic arm?”

“I think I heard Dr. WIlliams mumbling something about a prosthetic arm,” Ludwig said and looked down at his book. 

“Ooh, imagine how cool that would be! A metal arm! You’d be a cyborg. Kinda.” Antonio exclaimed. Francis leveled a stern look at him. He shrugged in response and sipped his soda.

“Hey, I gotta go. Sorry. I'll be back tomorrow though, okay?” Francis got up and patted Gilbert's arm. 

“Okay, bye.” He waved as his friend exited. 

“Goddangit, I have to go too. Lovi just texted me, saying that Emma and Jan were over and he needed help. See you, mi amigo.” Antonio waved as he got up and left.

It wasn't much time until Ludwig had to leave as well. “I'll be back first thing in the morning. See you. Wait, Eliza, don't you need a ride home?” he asked.

“No, it's fine. I only live a bit away from here,” she responded. Ludwig nodded and left with a “Be careful. It's dark outside.”

“You liar. You don't live 'a bit away’ from here. Your place is at least a ten minute drive.” Gilbert looked accusingly at Eliza. 

She shrugged. “I was going to spend the night anyway. There's a couch here. I'll be fine.”

“But why? You can just come back tomorrow, right?”

Elizabeta looked straight into Gilbert's eyes. The redness of his irises had always surprised her. “I just spent three weeks away from you. I don't think we've been ever been apart that long. I am going to stay right here to make sure you don't go anywhere and leave me behind. Okay?”

Gilbert was about to open his mouth to argue when Eliza said, “Shh. Don't argue.”

“Yes ma'am.”

“Plus I'm wearing sweatpants, so I'm good.” She flashed him a thumbs up and headed to the couch. 

“Wait, Eliza. Come back here. I have to give you something.” Eliza turned around with a questioning look on her face. 

GIlbert held out his Iron Cross in his good hand, the pendant resting firmly in the middle of his palm. “For you. An early birthday present.” 

She cocked her head to one side. “This was your grandfather's.”

“I want you to have it.” Gilbert extended his arm out and placed it around Eliza's neck. She smiled softly and kissed Gilbert's cheek before lying down on the couch.

Silence ensued. 

“Gil?”

“Hmm?” He was half asleep, partly due to the drugs Dr. Williams had injected earlier.

“Please don't ever leave me again.”

“I never did, Lizzie.”

**Author's Note:**

> See, this fic kinda spiraled out of control. It wasn't supposed to be this long, but I hope you guys like it!


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